


Next Person in the Crowd

by mishapshappen



Series: Next [2]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, First Meetings, Juvie, M/M, POV Third Person
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-09
Updated: 2014-04-09
Packaged: 2018-01-18 18:04:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,403
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1437619
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mishapshappen/pseuds/mishapshappen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Derek and Stiles meet for the first time.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Next Person in the Crowd

**Author's Note:**

> Outtake from "Until Next Time" between chapter 18 and 19.

A few days after Sheriff Stilinski received Derek’s answering letter, he broke the news to his son that they were going to go to the Juvenile Center.

“Are you kidding me?” Stiles asked, dumbfounded.

“Do I look like I'm kidding?” His dad retorted, face impassive.

“Jesus, you’re serious!” Stiles exclaimed, happiness clearly written on his face. “We’re really going.”

“I wouldn’t joke about that,” John said earnestly.

“You actually can't joke for shit,” Stiles chuckled. “What was I thinking.”

“Ah ah, very funny, big guy,” his dad replied sarcastically. “Now, do you want me to change my mind?”

“I'll behave, promise.”

“Right.” Like John believed _that_.

\-----

Stiles kept fidgeting in his wheelchair, he just couldn’t stay still. His dad stood behind him, pushing his wheelchair slowly as they made their way to the Detention Center’s entrance.

The least Stiles could say was that it was really fucking impressive. He had no idea how Derek had managed to live in here for three long years.

They got cleared pretty quick hut were still searched thoroughly, the guards movements speaking of years of experience, and soon they were waiting in the meeting room where the inmates—were they even inmates or did juvenile delinquents have a special name since they weren’t technically in prison but in juvie? Stiles would have to do some research on that—would come in and take their places at their respective tables with expectant visitors.

Stiles turned to look at his dad. “Would you mind giving us a little privacy and waiting outside the room?”

He saw his dad frown and charged on before he could say no. “It’s not like anything can happen to me in here,” Stiles pointed out, motioning his head towards the guards filling the room.

“Okay,” his dad said reluctantly. “But don’t take too long, you’re not up to—”

“I know, I know,” Stiles interrupted. “I'll be as quick as I can, promise.”

He watched as his dad exited the room and the nervousness and apprehension he’d felt the last week just came rearing their ugly heads again. Stiles felt like something in his stomach was about to explode when he heard the bell signaling the arrival of the inmates.

\-----

Derek had his stomach in knots. He was going to receive his first visit in three years and by none other than Stiles Stilinski, his not so secret crush. He would be surprised if Stiles hadn't figured it out what with the enormous hints he’d left in his recent letters.

Nevermind that. Derek could take a rejection like a man—it was actually probably the smartest thing he could do, one of the other inmates had seen the pictures on his wall in his cell and since people in here didn't have anything better to do than gossip, they were already talking and being queer in juvie was not a good thing at all. As long as he still had his friend with him after everything, that was the most important thing because Derek had started to depend on those letters like he depended on oxygen for breathing.

Derek looked at the clock and realized he’d been daydreaming for a few minutes and that it was already time for visitation hours. He walked over to the main hall and turned into the room preceding the visitation area, waiting for the bell to ring and the permission to go and talk to his visitor.

To say that Derek was nervous was the understatement of the year.

The bell rang. Derek stopped breathing for a couple seconds and then he took a big breath and entered the room.

It wasn't hard to spot Stiles—even if Derek didn't know what stiles looked like, he was the only one in a wheelchair—but what surprised Derek was that Stiles was alone. He'd strongly expected the Sheriff to be there in the room as well. Things were apparently looking up.

Derek realized he’d stopped in his tracks to stare at Stiles when another inmate knocked into him and sent him on his trajectory towards Stiles. That’s when it hit him that Stiles had no idea what _he_ looked like and might end up disappointed.

Too late to worry about that now.

Derek felt a jolt run through him when Stiles looked up and those impossibly bright eyes looked right at him. He chanced a timid grin and was rewarded with Stiles’ huge, infectious smile in return.

It looked like he didn't have to worry after all.

He now wore a blinding smile as well, as he approached the table and sat down in front of Stiles. He'd been right when he'd said Stiles’ smile was infectious.

“Wow,” Stiles breathed and blinked at him, as if in a daze, and Derek chuckled.

“I take it you approve,” Derek told him, motioning to his face and body.

“Don't sound so smug,” Stiles snorted. “I'm he one who’s _breathtakingly beautiful_!”

“I should never have written that, I knew it would get to your head,” Derek complained.

“That it did, my friend.”

Suddenly, Derek’s smile dropped and a deadly serious face replaced it. “Am I?” He asked. “Your friend, I mean.”

“Of course!” Stiles replied firmly, without a hint of hesitation and Derek relaxed. He almost missed Stiles’ whispered, “I was hoping we might be more than that, even.”

When Derek just kept staring and said nothing, Stiles started to freak out and quickly rambled, “Forget I said anything. Really. It's probably better if we’re just friends anyways, and it didn't mean to assume you were interested in—”

“Stiles,” Derek interrupted and God, how good it felt to be saying Stiles’ name aloud and not write it. “Breathe.”

Stiles did as he was told and inhaled and exhaled slowly in time with Derek’s exaggerated breaths.

When Derek was sure he was calm, he said, “Jeez, you weren't kidding about the panic attacks. Am I that scary?”

“No, but—”

“Then, relax, okay?” Derek grinned shyly. “We can be anything you want us to be, just keep in mind that I don't get out of here for another month and a half...”

“I don't care,” Stiles said quickly, almost bouncing in his chair.

“Careful there,” Derek admonished, righting Stiles in his wheelchair and getting a quick word from one of the guards to keep his distance. “I hope you know there are drawbacks to dating an inmate...”

“I don't care,” Stiles repeated firmly.

“And you read my letters? All of them?” Derek asked a little desperately.

Stiles sighed. “Yes,” he paused, looking at Derek’s scared face, “and I know you didn't do it. I trust you.”

Derek’s entire body seemed to relax in an instant. “Your dad might disagree with that.”

“I'll tell him when you'll be out,” Stiles smirked, “no need to alarm him when all we’ll be doing is writing innocent letters that _they_ ”—Stiles emphasized the word, nodding his head toward a guard—”will be reading.”

Derek paled suddenly. “For a second, I totally forgot about that.”

“Good thing I'm here to remind you then,” Stiles smiled. “I know how much you value your privacy.”

“Thank you.” Derek looked Stiles over, burning with the urge to reach out and check with his hands for injuries. “So, how are you doing?”

Stiles groaned. “Not you, too!” He practically yelped. “Don't tell me you’re an overprotective,e overbearing asshole, too.”

“Sorry, but when it comes to you? I am,” Derek confessed, not the least bit ashamed. “I'm guessing your dad has been on your back a lot, huh?”

“You have no idea.”

“Well, tell me about it, then.”

Stiles launched into story after story of his dad’s behavior, not noticing the time, when suddenly the bell rang and one of the guards was yelling that visitations were over. Derek quickly asked for Stiles' number and if he minded being collect called.

Derek got up from his chair and hesitated in front of Stiles before going for it—he was allowed a brief hug at the start and at the end of visitations after all, and he was gonna have his hug, damn it, pride be damned.

Stiles didn't look surprised but pleased when Derek bent forward, to be at eye level with Stiles again and moved to hug him softly.

It barely lasted a couple seconds, but it was everything to Derek.

Derek had finally someone to look after who looked after him, too.


End file.
